Why: We are helping the children of migrant workers who worked in our area to stay in school in Mexico.

Suggested donation: $20.00 or more. Children walk free. Checks should be payable to Friends of the Poor. Credit or debit cards will be accepted on site, or on our Donate page. Participants are invited to solicit sponsorships in any amount. All contributions are tax deductible; receipts will be provided upon request.

This January our helpful assistants in San Jorge Nuchita and San Juan Pinas delivered the high school assistance to 111 young people and their parents in the villages in the Sierra Mixteca. Your ongoing donations make this possible! We continue to look for and to engage more donors and institutions to partner with to improve the chances that some of the high school graduates will be willing and able to go on to university or other career opportunities. Since there is no precedent for it in their communities, they are paving the way on an unknown path. It is an exciting time!

In August of 2016, 5 of us traveled to the Sierra Mixteca for our usual 7 day visit, Mike and Christauria Akong and Barry and Martha Martin from Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and Patricia Palm from Mexico City, who ably assisted Mike with 120 acupuncture patients in 4 days! We packed and distributed school supplies for 1600 children, helped by the young people and authorities of the villages. We were also able to join some of the villagers in prayer and thanksgiving in the parish church or their homes. It makes for a very rewarding, if challenging, journey!

The OEF is now providing a monthly food stipend to 24 orphans and disabled children in 3 villages.

For our 2016 donations, we are grateful to the parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Rancho Penasquitos, and for those who participated in the Annual 5K Walk in April, 2016, as well as to the parishioners of St. John of the Cross and Our Lady of the Angels parishes, through the Missionary Cooperation Plan of the Diocese of San Diego. We must also include the many family, friends, and colleagues from elsewhere who donated, sponsored us or purchased crafts at our craft sales!

We look forward to our annual mission trip in early August 2017. This year we will have more time to dedicate to meeting with the students,teachers, and authorities, to pray together and to discuss higher education opportunities. We count on your prayers for the success of this endeavor. Thank you!